Chapters Five - Thirteen are un-beta'd. If anyone notices a issue please let me know! Thank you xo

Remus

2005, Hogwarts

"These children should be fed sanity potions with their morning meal."

Remus didn't even bother looking up from the book he was reading at his spot on the settee' in his colleagues office. This was the usual routine. Snape came in complaining about the students, he ate his sandwich and countered with a quote on what made teaching worth it, which in turn caused the other professor telling him to shove it. He would laugh, continue eating and go about his lunch period. Albeit he usually flooed home once they had finished their meal, and this time he would be returning to a classroom. There was something about his demeanor today though, Remus could tell something was bothering his friend more than usual.

"It's the first day Severus, they'll begin to focus sooner or later" He looked up from the book he had been reading and glanced at his colleague. Remus was met with the site of his friend, a grim look making him look much older than he should. His friend had been progressively getting more morose throughout the years as his burden of working for The Order grew heavier.

"I only hope their focus improves when it comes to them defending their lives" The young professor sat down at his desk, his cloak billowing around him as he did. He did not respond, the heaviness of the years to come hanging silently in the air between them.

"How's your first day going?" The abrupt change in subject was welcomed as Remus leaned back into the settee, closing his book to focus on Severus.
"As well as it can be. This place feels so familiar and foriegn at the same time."

He had been gone for quite some time, living in a remote cottage surrounded by a large wooded area. He preferred himself away from others, where he could transition without worry. He had been chopping wood when Albus suddenly appeared, offering him a position as the Professor of Ancient Runes. To this day he could not tell what made him agree. Maybe the headmasters promise of monthly supplies of wolfsbane being a part of his pay, maybe something more.

The day had gone well as he had taken the morning to walk the grounds and re-familiarize himself with the land before he taught his first class this afternoon.

It was to be Fifth Years, easy enough he presumed. He started to tell his friend this and as their conversation continued along he began to notice Severus's voice moving slowly into the foreground of his mind.

Almost as if Snape was walking away from him and the presence of someone else was taking his place.
The scent of honey suckles and something sweet, musky like an old book wafted into his consciousness. The smell was familiar as it was a smell that he often noticed when he visited the grounds these past few years. Although it caught his attention, the scent was always stale as if the reason for the smell was long gone.

Now it was fresh, it had his attention and more urgently the smell had caught his wolf's attention. Mate

He blinked his eyes open, having not realised they were closed as he drank in the scent that felt as if it was intoxicating his entire being.

"Mate?" Severus's voice was laced with amusement "You never call me Mate."

"Mate" Remus repeated, this time the term coming in the form of a growl. He looked over at his friend for a moment, a pregnant silence hanging in the air.

His eyes were the color of molten honey, gold tendrils dancing among the irises. His usual mossy green eyes were gone and Severus realised quite quickly what he was saying. The Professor jumped to his feet when a knock vibrated through the door.

"Professor Snape?"

Her voice was like silk, the crack in her voice reminding him of crackling wood, the warmth trailing over his skin as he focused all of his attention on her.

"No." Snape was firm, walking towards his friend trying to subdue him. "This is a student, Remus. She might be your mate but she is a student. You have to be fair to her." He was trying to appeal to his logic but logic wasn't his wolf's strong suit; that was Remus's territory.

The girl behind the door knocked once more, before her scent started to retreat. Remus growled, heading towards the door in search of her.

"No" Severus reiterated his earlier statement, aiming his wand to cast a quick binding spell on the door. "You need to calm your wolf, Remus. That student is not just any student."